What is diagram?
A diagram is – on the most generic level – a symbolic representation of information using visualization techniques that show how something works, not just representing or comparing numerical data.
A diagram is a very broad term that contains various types and subtypes of diagrams dedicated to multiple purposes.
Diagram Types
There are several classifications, but – again – in the most general level, we can divide the diagram family into three types:
- Logical or conceptual types, showing relationships between items, e.g.:
- Tree diagram
- Network diagram
- Flowchart
- Quantitative types displaying a relationship between two variables in a continuous range of values, e.g.:
- Histogram
- Bar graph
- Pie chart
- Schematics, e.g.:
- Time–distance diagram
- Three-dimensional diagram
- Population density map
“Diagram is abstract graphic portrayals of the subject matter they represent.”
Richard K. Lowe “Diagrammatic information: techniques for exploring its mental representation and processing,” 1993.
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